@variablepulserate the Asian visage is generally perceived as "younger than reality" in many non-Asian societies.
So the Venetian in Las Vegas doesn't recognise HK IDs. They asked me to bring either my Canadian passport down (which is in the hotel safe) or go across the corridor to get my HK ID verified by security.
Security accepted it and put a red paper bracelet on me. Like children on cruise ships get.
Couldn't make this shit up. The bartender, most appropriately, apologised for the inconvenience.
Worse, this bracelet only works in this hotel and is only valid for 1 day. Given that I'm going to 2 unique bars every day — all in different hotels or parts of downtown — that could result in a lot of apologies.
John Denver's "I'm Sorry" really feels appropriate now, more than ever, given the situation in HK. Lots of younger protestors lied to their family about where they were going to avoid the conflict of saying they were attending protests.
I'm sorry for the way things are in China
I'm sorry things ain't what they used to be
[…]
Our friends all ask about you
And I say you're doing fine
And I expect to hear from you almost anytime
But they all know I'm crying
And I can't sleep at night
They all know I'm dying down deep inside
@matigo I might even have some money left for investments this month…just waiting for Trump to screw it all up (or not, as the S&P 500 seems to suggest).
US airport security…let's just say I can't wait until this all gets automated and becomes, well, bearable.
Then again, after billions spent on those nude scanners, you still have to take your shoes off…I'm not hopeful.
@matigo well we don't want just anyone playing sysadmin, do we…
/@streakmachine @variablepulserate
@matigo Gorgeous dinner on the whole. A great last meal for SF. Restaurant was "Rich Table".
Have been extravagant with my spending here, knowing that the family dinners in Vegas (which I didn't book) will, more likely than not, be quite sub-par in quality, partially because reservations for 16 people aren't strictly easy to arrange.
Happily, I'm still under budget for the month.
Thought I was nearly finished with this tasting menu. Then they put a steak knife down. The feeling that followed can only be described as "Whoa, wait, we're only halfway through? 😨"
These dishes are really rich. Fresh pasta with sea urchin and goat's cheese would, on a normal day, suffice for the entirety of lunch…tonight, it's just course 4 of 6. At 10:30pm.
@matigo many developers nowadays seem to rely on being able to get away with poor practices just because hardware has reached a certain point.
5 days in San Francisco has left me with mixed feelings. A beautiful city, if far too sleepy and rather lacking in charm for my taste…I still prefer NYC.
I have also never been in a population with such a concentration of people in various unfavourable situations (home, drugs, mental, etc.). It's even more striking, especially visually, in juxtaposition with the diverse architectural landscape.